“Stem cells” generally refers to undifferentiated cells that can differentiate into various cells constituting biological tissues and can be obtained from individual tissues of embryos, fetuses, and adults in a cell stage prior to cell differentiation. Among various stem cells, blood adult stem cells are stem cells that are derived from bone marrow and may have totipotency to differentiate into all type of cells constituting organs and blood of human bodies.
Among these, bone-marrow-derived stem cells are considered as an ultimate tool for treating diseases such as hematologic cancers, lymphoma, and bone marrow failure. In recent years, bone-marrow-derived stem cells have been transplanted for various purposes. In particular, when it is difficult to transplant organs into patients suffering from terminal kidney and liver diseases, attempts have been made to promote regeneration of the liver and kidneys by autologous transplantation of bone-marrow-derived stem cells.
To promote cell differentiation and division after the autologous transplantation of bone-marrow-derived stem cells, a human recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (hG-CSF) is administered in a full dose. However, the proliferation of stem cells and the mobilization into blood do not occur in approximately 5 to 30% of patients, and various side effects such as cardiac infarction, cerebral infarction, pyrexia, ostalgia, splenomegaly, and ruptures are known to be caused by administration of hG-CSF (Masoud et al., 2008; Fox et al., 2009). In particular, the use of hG-CSF is limited. Therefore, a new alternative to enhance an effect of hG-CSF on proliferation of bone-marrow-derived stem cells and reduce such side effects is needed.
Meanwhile, palmultang is a representative qi-strengthening medicine widely used in the field of Oriental medicine. Literally, palmultang refers to a recipe including eight medicinal herbs. Sagunjatang is known as a qi-strengthening medicine and a samultang is known as a blood-nourishing medicine, and palmultang is a recipe obtained by combination of these two medicines. Sagunjatang includes the four medicinal herbs Panax ginseng, Atractylodes ovata, Glyceyrrhiza uralensis, and Wolfiporia extensa, and samultang includes the four medicinal herbs Rehmannia glutinosa, Paeonia lactiflora, Cnidium officinale, and Angelica gigas. Sagunjatang is known to promote metabolic actions, enhance immune functions, and improve blood-increasing activities and digestive absorption functions, and samultang is known to be applied to weakness from a disease.